Looking for Answers about SmartDigest® Ultra?

Thanks for your question. Since your horse has HYPP, we recommend checking with your veterinarian before adding anything new to his diet. However, we can tell you that SmartDigest Ultra is considered to be low in potassium, as it contains 184 mg or 0.6% potassium per 30 gram serving.

My Morgan gelding had a similar thing. Normal formed manure with gassy liquid squirts in between. Negative fecals. Probiotics alone for several months did nothing. I have seen a significant improvement since starting the SmartDigest. The discharge is not gone but it is 80% improved, and he has only been on the supplement for a couple of weeks. I would give it a try especially with the Smartpack happiness guarantee what do you have to lose? (I do not work for the Smartpack- I'm just a happy customer!)

Smart Pak representatives can suggest the correct dosage based upon the information you provide for your horse. The representatives are extremely knowledgeable and helpful with respect to this issue.

I would sure try the SmartDigest alone for at least 1 month & see how your horse responds. (then you know for sure what is working or not - multiple supplements you don't know...). I put my pregnant 21 yr old mare on it, with fantastic results. She has had chronic intermittent diarrhea for 2 yrs & difficulty maintaining good body condition. I have tried probiotics, aloe vera, papaya juice, and platinum bio-sponge. The Smart Digest has worked much better than any of those. No diarrhea & gaining weight the last 9 weeks she's been on it.

I would personally still feed Psyllium, which helps to move sand through the intestinal tract. The beneficial bacteria in SmartDigest I believe is just to help keeping digestion normal and will not help sand move through.

I spoke with my feed representative with Triple Crown Feed and asked this very same question. Their nutirion researchers say, No. You cannot feed too many 'Good' bacteria.

This product can be used on Miniature horses. If you get the SmartDigest Ultra in the SmartPaks you can adjust the supplement amount. Click on Your Account, then click manage my SmartPaks, and change the dosage to the desired amount.

I know that I have a horse who gas colics with a change of weather/barometric pressure changes. This time of year, (winter-spring),CA, has a lot of weather ups and downs, so I wanted to be on top of his issue. We've had quite a few storms come and go and he is holding his own, so I'm very happy. He gets his Smart Digest Ultra every morning with his carrots, flax and beetpulp. He eats it all right up and has from the beginning. I'd check to make sure there are no conflicts with your horse's meds and give it a try.

My horse had severe sand colic - twice. Both times he had to be hauled to the college vet clinic in our state. The first time he got better, and they diagnosed it as clinical colic. However, the second time, they took an x-ray of his abdomen for a different issue, and found that he had 15-20 lbs of sand in him! He was treated and on psyllium everyday per vet's recommendations. A year later, we took him back to do another x-ray, and there was hardly any sand. So, my point is, that if your horse has been in poor condition (ribs showing, slightly dull coat), and you are worried about sand, an x-ray is really the only way to see if sand is present. An ultrasound is not strong enough, or clear enough, and the fecal test for sand may not be always truthful - if there is a lot of sand packed up inside, it might not show in the fecal test. Some horses can handle it and pass sand through, but some, like my horse, seem to keep it all in. I would talk to your vet of course before changing feeding practices, but I have used Equus Psyllium pellets with success for about five years now (off and on, depending on the season). I wish SmartPak would carry this product! Also, I have started the Smart Digest Ultra last fall and have noticed an increase of vigor and alertness in my horse! Psyllium is usually recommended to be fed one week every four weeks, but if your horse has sand already built up, it won't do anything. Another suggestion to look into is to start feeding the psyllium for a month straight and take fecal samples here and there to do the sand test with water to see if sand is continuously coming out.
But of course, check with your vets first, and perhaps a large clinic with a strong x-ray machine where they might see a lot of these cases!

Thanks for your question. SmartDigest Ultra is not intended as a significant source of fat and only contains the small amount of 2.7 grams per serving.

Thanks for your question Lindalee! The 3.7lb bucket of the SmartDigest Ultra is a 56 day supply.

Thanks for your question. SmartDigest Ultra has not specifically been evaluated for use in pregnant mares, therefore we recommend seeking your veterinarian’s advice about continuing or changing your mare’s supplement program during her pregnancy. With such precious cargo on board, pregnant mares really do need to be “handled with care”, so working on individualized recommendations with your vet is very important.

Thanks for your question. This formula is designed to support normal digestive function, and since healthy digestion plays a big role in immune health, providing a supplement such as SmartDigest Ultra is a great start! However SmartDigest Ultra does not provide support for the respiratory tract, so we recommend that you also consider a supplement such as SmartBreathe, as well as discussing treatment options with your veterinarian.

Thanks for your question. SmartDigest Ultra provides an innovative combination of ingredients to support the health of the hindgut, and may help your horse maintain normal digestive function when given on a daily basis. While we cannot tell you that any supplement will "prevent" colic, our best recommendation would be to discuss this supplement with your horse’s veterinarian, and to continue to work with the vet on a diet and lifestyle program that will help to support her digestive health in the future. If your mare did not have colic surgery, she may be eligible for our ColiCare program after 12 months. You can find details on the ColiCare Program at: http://www.smartpakequine.com/ColiCare/ColiCareHome.aspx For some more information about proven risk factors for colic and ways to help keep your horse’s digestive system healthy, please visit our SmartPak Blog at http://blog.smartpakequine.com/2012/10/colic-101/